Race Day Approaches

Post 47

Weeks of training complete: 31 weeks, 1 day
Time remaining until Ironman: 6 days

Mile swam: 129.131
Miles biked: 2,385.67
Miles run: 584.67

Goal: $5,000
Total raised: $2,440

My buddy Eric put that video on his blog and I thought it was cool, so I put it on my, too. Every time I watch it, I get all juiced up with energy and freaked out and excited. Race day is almost here.

I know that it's been an unacceptable amount of time since I posted last. But with the kids in New Jersey visiting the family, it's been nice to relax, to heal as the workout tapered and just enjoy the reduced level of responsibility.

The end of my journey - this journey anyway - is almost here. Six days from the race, I feel as ready as I'll ever be to finish the Ironman. That is my goal - if it takes me 13 and a half hours (which would be the absolute best I can expect to finish, on an absolute perfect day, given my race abilities), whether it takes me 14 hours and 15 minutes, which is probably a reasonable expectation, or whether it takes me the maximum 16 hours, 59 minutes and 59 seconds alotted, my goal is simply to cross that finish line alive and to be able to say: I set a goal to complete an Ironman, and I did it.

Sure, I could've done a few things better in my training. I'm human - and as the training wore down the stretch, I broke down. I broke down from lack of human connection. I broke down from the wear and tear on my body. I skipped a few workouts here and there; and some didn't go as well as planned. Sunday may be a rough day for me, and it may not. But I'll finish ... I'm confident I'll finish. But mom, dad, Heidi and friends: don't worry, I'm not going to kill myself trying. I'll be sad if I don't make it, but it won't be the end of the world.

But, honestly, I know I'm going to make it. I can just feel it. And, I'll have a pretty good day doing it. I've visualized it. I know the two big places I can get myself into trouble - pushing it too hard, too early. And not watching my race nutrition. I've got plans, though, and I've thought 'em through. I've coached myself on how to deal with the wind, the heat, the potential problems.

I've lost 32 pounds from my highest weight in 2008 (about 215) to my lowest weight measured this year (182). And my average weight loss is hanging around 29 pounds. Most days, when I get on the scale, I weigh 185. I'm happy with that. That's a big accomplishment, actually.

I think I want to do another Ironman, too. I've ridden a lot of ups and downs; but the hardest part of doing anything the first time is learning the many different phases, the moods, the peaks and valleys, having some sense of what to expect.

I'll try to write daily for the rest of the week - keep you guys up to date on what's going on as we go into the final days of preparation. I've got to go buy a few more things for my bike this evening, so I'm off to the store. I've included a few videos about the race. Hope you enjoy.


Here's a video on course details:



Hope to see you all on Sunday.

Love,
Ed